Shoe tree



Aug. 10, 1954 c NQRTQN, JR 2,685,699

SHOE TREE Filed Sept. 5, 1952 INVENTOR C/zarZes Tjl/orzon, J5:

ATTORNEY- Patented Aug. 10, 1954 UNITED STA 2 Claims.

This invention relates to a simple and compact device for hanging a plurality of pairs of shoes in such manner that they will occupy little space.

In carrying out the above end, a vertical post is provided, and arms are mounted on said post, said arms having forms at their outer ends for reception in the toe portions of shoes; and another object of the invention is to provide novel connections between said arms and said post which allow said arms to hang in out-oi-the-way positions when not in use and permit eiiective holding of said arms in operative position when required.

A further object is to provide a novel structure which permits the formation of each arm and its form from a single piece of wire.

Yet another object is to provide a form construction Which is yieldable both in a direction transverse to the shoe and in a tipeto-sole direction for snug reception in the toe portion of the shoe, this being particularly advantageous if the shoe be wet, to prevent distortion of the tip during drying.

With the above and other objects in view, as

will be presently apparent, the invention consists in general of certain novel details of construction and combinations of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and particularly claimed.

In the drawings like characters of reference indicate like parts in the several views, and

Figure l is a diagrammatic side elevation of a shoe tree constructed in accordance with the invention;

Figure 2 is an enlarged side elevation, partly in section, showing one of the arms and its shoeengaging form, and the connection of the arm with the post; and

Figure 3 is a perspective View showing one of the forms and a portion of the arm carrying the same.

A construction has been shown which is well adapted for attaining the desired ends, but it is to be understood that variations may be made within the scope of the invention.

A vertical post 5 is shown having a supporting base it. This post is formed with longitudinally extending peripheral grooves l which are circumferentially spaced. There are preferably four of these grooves but more or less could be provided.

Arms 3 are connected with the post 5 and have forms 9 at their outer ends for reception in the tips of shoes to be hung upon the tree, as shown in Figure 2. Any desired number of pairs of arms 8 may be employed. The inner ends of (Cl. Ki -128.4)

2 these arms 5 are received in the grooves I and have short longitudinal slot-s il Pivot pins l l are carried by the post 5 and extend across the grooves l and through the slots Hi, thus pivotally and slidably connecting the arms 3 with the post.

When any of the arms are not required for use, they may hang idly, as indicated by dotted lines in Figure 1, parts of the lengths of said arms being then confined within the grooves i. To position any arm for use, it is swung upwardly and then slid downwardly to a position such as that shown in Figure 2. In this position the pin 5 l is between the ends of the slot it and the lower end of the arm 8 abuts the inner wall of the groove 5 at a point 82 spaced downwardly from said pin. Thus the arm 8 cannot accidentally swing downwardly. The arm, however, may be easily lowered when desired by simply pulling it upwardly to the limit allowed by the pin H, and then swinging it downwardly.

Each arm 8 and its form 9, in the present disclosure, are constructed from a single length of wire. This wire is sulficiently stiff to prevent undesirable springing yet has some degree of springiness to allow the form 9 to resiliently yield and snugly engage the shoe tip. Wire such as that commonly used for the construction of coat hangers possesses the required qualities.

The wire is bent upon itself between its ends at E3 to provide two reaches M and 15, the reach M being considerably longer than the reach 5 5. The portions 1 6 of the two reaches I4 and I5 adjacent the bend it are substantially parallel to provide the slot is between them. From this slot, the two reaches i l and l 5 are twisted together to a point ll a short distance from the terminal of the reach it. In advance of this point ii, the reach it is bent to provide a central longitudinally bowed rod E8 to underlie the top wall of a shoe tip. At the front end of the bowed rod l8, the reach it is abruptly bent rearwardly at [9 and rearwardly extended to provide a straight central longitudinal rod 2!? to lie on the inner side of the shoe sole. At the rear end of the rod 26 the reach is is bent laterally at 2! to provide a transverse rod 22 extending laterally in one direction with respect to the arm 8. At the outer end of the lateral rod 22 the reach l 4 is forwardly bent at 23 and then bent to provide a U-shaped rod 2 disposed in a longitudinal plane at a right angle to the plane in which the bowed rod I8 is located. The bend it at the front end of this rod l8 extends around the curved front end or bight 25 of the U-shaped rod 24. At the end of this U-shaped rod 24 remote from the bend 23,

the reach it is bent laterally inward at 26 and extended inwardly to form another transverse rod 21. The inner end portion of this rod 2'! slidably overlaps the inner end portion of the rod 22 and is bent forwardly to provide a iiinger 28 in which the reach is terminates.

The front portion of the reach 15 extends obliquely forward at 29 from the twisted together portions of the two reaches Hi and i5 and terminates in an eye 39 which loosely surrounds the inner end portions of the rods 22 and 21.

The construction above described stiiiens the arm 9 and provides the form 9 with features which allow said form to spring edg-ewise of the shoe sole and in a tip-to-sole direction. Snug fitting of the toe portion of the shoe on the form 9 is thus insured to keep said toe portion in shape.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that novel and effective provision has been disclosed for attaining the desired ends, but attention is again invited to the possibility of making variations within the scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. A shoe tree consisting of a single length of wire having a bend intermedia its ends forming an elongated loop. said wire ha g erininal portions extending from said loop, said terminal portions being twisted around each other adjacent the loop and continuations extending from said twisted portions, loop means shaped to fit a shoe toe formed on one of said continuations, and the wire having the other eontinuation bent to form securing means for the loop means.

2. A shoe tree consisting of a single length of wire having a bend intermediate its ends forming an elongated loop, said wire having terminal portions extending from said loop, said terminal portions being twisted around each other adjacent the loop and continuations extending from said twisted portions, one or" said continuations lying in a plane extending radially of the twisted portion and having a bent portion in said plane and in a line parallel to the twisted portion and then extending laterally in a plane perpendicular to the first plane, said continuation being then bent to semi-ovate shape and extending from the end of the seini-ovate portion in vardly to terminate in overlapping relation to the lateral extension, the other of said continuations wrapped around the overlapped parts of the first mentioned continuation.

Eeierenees Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date Re. 16,924 Cavanna Apr. 3, 1928 D. 35,223 Boggs Oct. 22, 19 1 156,059 Jordan et al Oct. 20, 1874 254,423 Yokom Feb. 28, 1882 269,192 Langenhach 27, 1882 1,310,231 Clark July 15, 1919 1,561,8l0 Faul Nov. 17, 1925 1,833,147 Atkinson Nov. 24, 1931 1,892,687 Teufel Jan. 3, 1933 2,564,117 Lehovits Aug. 14, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 15,285 reat Britain July 25, 1899 382,029 France Jan. 28, 1903 

